Stealth Art # 8

I belong to the Facebook page Hamilton Ontario Painted Rocks (#hoprocks) . It is a lovely group of local people who enjoy painting rocks and ‘hiding’ them so they can be found by others. Most of the time there is an element of encouragement or kindness in this ‘leaving of rocks’ for people to find. Random rocks and random places, all in a spirit of community fun. What I like best about the group is that all skill levels are appreciated. From simple basic painting done by children to art that is truly epic. I have been participating by creating the very simplest of rocks that mostly are ‘have a nice day’ written in marker on them and leaving them when I go out on my long walks all over greater Hamilton. Now my artistic skills are elementary at best but I did branch out to include painting lady bugs. Fairly simple but they were actually recognizable as ladybugs.

I have been leaving my ladybugs all over the place. Last December I hid a number of them in my neighbourhood. Most of them were snapped up fairly quickly and some people played along by posting on the #hoprocks page that the ladybug had been found. I went by one hiding spot and I noticed that the ladybug was still there.

facing The Village of Wentworth Heights at the entrance to 426 Rymal Road East

I suppose that I might have hid it too well and I decided I should move it to an easier-to-find spot. So today I went to check on it and wouldn’t you know it – that ladybug is stuck. Jammed in tight, she was not moving. She might be a permanent addition to the tree unless someone can pry her out.

Encouraged by seeing the efforts of others in the #hoprocks group, I thought that I should actually try to do some real painting. I know a number of very accomplished artists and knew that anything that I would try would not be nearly as glorious as theirs, but was willing to give it a try. Jennifer from the #hoprocks group often incorporates the rocks features when painting her rocks. I got myself a ribbledy rock and some paint and gave it a try.

Well, I quickly discovered that painting is hard. At least painting recognizable things is hard. I thought I would try a beach scene and thought I could paint some dunes leading up to the water along the lines of the rock. It didn’t turn out too bad but then I tried to paint a lighthouse. Umm, well, in my head I was painting a light house but I don’t know that it turned out that way.

I think it looks like a tube of toothpaste with an sunshiny cap on top.

Through the group, I found an artist who creates stunning work. I was lucky enough to buy this beauty. It sits in my home and brightens up my day whenever I see it.

Terry Brawner is so talented.

So, while I will not be painting stunning masterpieces, I will continue having fun painting rocks and leaving them in places so they can be enjoyed by others.

Stealth Art #7

I am a big fan of a local Hamilton artist with a secret identity. Lewis Mallard walks Hamilton streets spreading his duckly cheer to anyone lucky enough to cross his path. I follow him on Instagram.

Lewis at the bandshell at Gage Park

When I began painting rocks I found some that seemed to be shaped a little eggish, which gave me an idea. I decided to print off some of Lewis’s art and create some duck eggs. These are part of #hoprocks (Hamilton Ontario Painted Rocks) on Facebook.

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On my walk today I left them at Gage Park where Lewis had been sighted a while back.

I thought of writing a story where I happen upon Lewis at the park and frighten him with my enthusiasm for meeting him for the first time. I then start chasing him around the park. He manages to avoid me and finds some clever hiding spots. But whenever I start closing in, Lewis is startled into laying an egg, right there in the park, and then runs off only to have the chase continue until all of the eggs are laid.

I don’t know how to realistically write that story because Lewis is a boy duck and I don’t know that boy ducks can lay eggs. : )

Will anyone think that perhaps Lewis has laid these eggs? One can only hope.

I have not met Lewis in the wild yet but perhaps one day…

Stealth Art # 6

Artist Anita strikes again. To fully tell this tale to those uninitiated in abstract Canadian Art, one should first have a little bit of background. It is duly supplied below:

* * *

Voice Of Fire is an abstract painting of acrylic on canvas made in 1967 by Barnett Newman. The painting is made up of three vertical lines that are all the same size. The stripes on the outside of the painting are blue and the one in the middle is red. It was created as a commission for Expo 67 in Montreal. Voice of Fire is 18 foot long when measured vertically and was shown alongside other paintings that represented American progress, which was the intention of the painting.

‘Voice of Fire‘

It was loaned to the National Gallery of Canada in 1987. It became a a permanent part of the gallery in 1989 when the purchase of Voice of Fire cost the gallery $1.8 million. This acquisition of the painting caused a lot of controversy geared mostly by the doubts of the artwork being seen as genuine art. The artwork increased in value, going up to a staggering $40 million. Controversy ensued once more a few years later in 1992 when Voice of Fire had been discovered as being hung upside down after it had been loaned and then bought. Despite this controversy, the painting remains in ownership of the gallery.

* * *

One morning this winter, Artist Anita was sitting at home sipping a cup of coffee and she was suddenly struck by a bolt of inspiration. She recalled a Canadian art controversy from years ago and, unwilling to let controversy dampen her art in any way, she confined herself in her attic to create another masterpiece. After minutes of artistic work she produced her latest creation.

‘Fire of the Voice‘

This is clearly not an ersatz replication of the Voice of Fire. The stripe goes in a completely different direction and notice the title and it’s simplistic addition of the word ‘the’ and the movement of the words ‘fire’ and ‘voice’. This evolution represents the movement of an endemic society filtering our united diversity and turning it on it’s head, or rather, it’s side. The trek was made to McMaster Innovation Park where there is already hanging some mighty fine art. Artist Anita found a nice little corner for her creative work. Avoiding any chance at further controversy, Artist Anita has made ‘fur darn sure’ that the Fire of the Voice has not been hung upside down. 

It might not be displayed there for long. It seems a cleaning lady was eyeing Artist Anita’s art with amazement (or maybe suspicion). 

Artist Anita proudly awaits the accolades that are sure to come, until then she will be relegated to wait for inspiration to strike once more. 

Stealth Art #5

So the Stealth Artist has been at it again. Our dear friend Fred spent some time as the Interim President of Redeemer University College. During his reign, he was subjected to a number of jabs and barbs regarding his elevated status from some of us that bordered on mockerage. This all he took in stride.

When I discovered that he never did sit for a presidential portrait I thought it was something that had to be rectified. So the Artist Anita went into stealth mode once again.  This time I tackled a mixed medium art portrait and the results were…well…plaid.

Fred found a place next to the other presidential portraits where he spent countless hours watching the goings-on that were going on.

This is the blurb which was displayed next to the art.

Stealth Art by Artist Anita
Installment 5 in a 3 part series

Redeemer University College has a long history 
of highlighting emerging artists 
and is overjoyed, if not a little confused, 
to present this mixed medium art piece entitled:

Interimial Presidential Portraiture
Fred & his Presidential Robe

Fred Verwoerd’s humbleness 
prevented him from sitting 
for an official portrait 
during his time as 
Interim President of 
Redeemer University College 
but this local artist feels that 
Fred’s place in history 
should be noted, 
yea verily, 
it should be celebrated.

After hanging in the hallowed halls of learning for a good deal of time. Fred was removed today. All art has its time and Fred’s place in the limelight was over.

Thank goodness Fred is good at forgiving.

Stealth Art #4

This past Saturday I attended a reception for an art exhibit of a friend. Hank takes marvelous pictures but he also knows how to spruce them up and combine and manipulate them into works of art. I have long been in awe of his abilities. When I heard that he was going to have an exhibit, I was afraid that there was going to be a recurrence of  stealth art and Artist Anita would art once more.

One of the pieces at the exhibition featured our daughter Anne as she has been
a willing model for Hank on a number of occasions.

But what is that I spy?
Oh my, it looks like there is some more art on the wall.
It is just behind a post, next to the recycling containers.

Ah, it is. Artist Anita has been at it again.

Here she is posing with her masterpiece.

It had to be fast because it is, after all, stealth art.

A bit of a close up

When will she strike next?

Only when the muse is awakened.

The Incredible Art Exhibition Part 3 of 3

Last spring I went down
to the McMaster Innovation building
to see some art.
I knew that my very talented cousin Arlene
had some of her beautiful art work on display there…

 But, what is that I see?

More art just around the corner

from Arlene’s beautiful display…

 

There it is! On the wall!

Why it is my very own art!

Quel suprize!

One of my art fans

must have contributed to the exhibition

without my knowledge…

So I thought that I had better pose with my work and its review

The review is posted below.

===============================

Here she goes again.

Anita Eleveld has, once again, created a masterpiece.

Titled “The Unchanging Moods of Apple”

Branching out her artistic horizons Anita has,
in this exhibition, tackled the ever challenging ‘Still Life’

Tree-ting her subject with ap-peel,
she is blossom-ing into a bud-ding artist.

We look forward to the harvest of future endeavours.

The pick of the crop, McMaster is proud
(if not slightly confused)
to display this work of art.

 

The Incredible Art Exhibition Part 2 of 3

Timothy DeVries is another artistic member 

of the extended Eleveld clan and

 his work was on display

at the Turner Park Library during June of 2016.

Joining him on the wall of fame

(technically around the corner of the wall of fame)

is a another family member.

But who could it be? 

Ta-Da….

  Yes Anita has done it again.  

 Here it is. Art at it’s best(ish).

A close up so you can appreciate the intricate detail 

The official authorized review.

********************

Mountains and Clouds and Trees, Oh my!

The Incredible Art Exhibition Part 1 of 3

So I am going to be cheating at this writing a blog thing for the first bit. I will steal from myself so I can hardly be thought of as a hardened criminal.

This had been put on my previous blog.  It is about my adventures as an artist. My first attempt was a Self Portrait and my debut was in March 2016

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Yesterday I met up with some out-of-town relatives

to see my cousin Arlene’s art exhibition

on display at the library just down the road from our home.

It was lovely.

Arlene’s display

but wait…

what is around the corner?

there seems to be a

 continuation of art around the corner

 yes another artist has been featured

on the wall of the library

and here she is

Not everyone knows that Arlene Mussche

is not the only artist in the Eleveld family.

I, too, have been known to dabble.

My first attempt was honored to be

display at the same library that exhibited Arlene’s work.

I use the name Eleveld to prevent

the further sullying of the dignified name of Joldersma.

I await the accolades.